By Xinhua
Kabul : Face-to-face talks between the Taliban and South Korean officials to secure the release of 19 hostages held in Afghanistan have failed, a spokesman of the militia said Saturday.
Abductors are waiting for a decision from the Taliban leadership on the hostages’ future, Yousuf Ahmadi, the guerrilla spokesman said.
The talks, which started Thursday, had stopped later on the same day without making any progress, Ahmadi told Xinhua from an undisclosed place. He added that their two delegates engaged in the negotiations had returned.
The Afghan and South Korean governments have failed to meet the Taliban’s major demand that eight of their leaders be freed from prisons in exchange for the release of the hostages, the spokesman said.
Taliban militants kidnapped 23 South Koreans from Ghazni province on July 19.
Two male hostages were shot dead – on July 25 and July 30 – to press Afghan and South Korean authorities to meet their demands.
Two female hostages were released Aug 13 as the Taliban claimed it wanted to show “a good gesture” toward South Korean authorities.
Taliban militants have carried out kidnappings in Afghanistan over the past two years frequently, and some hostages were killed.